The National tribune., 1887-06-09
ASHLEY STATION.
A FIrht that Hns Heen Llttle MrItten About.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having been
requested by several comrades TO write what
know OF the battle at Ashley Station, Prairie
Co. Ark, Aug. "a, 1864, shall attempt TO give
brief description Of it. but space forbds the
mention OF many incidents that would be in
tercsting The 5ith III. (of which / was a
member) was disposed as follows: Cos. and
{ in camp at Hickory Station, A and h at
Ashley Station, L and i two miles east, aud
two other camps OF two companies each at
points two and four miles farther east, thus
making our extreme camps nine miles apart.
We were stationed thus along the Memphis &
Little Rock Railroad 10 guard Mr.. Hemingway
aud has hands, who were making hay for Uncle
sam.
On the day Of the battle ], with three other
boys OF Co. Il, was out on the bayfield, little
northeast OF our camp and about three-iourths
OF mile from Ashley, where Cos. A and X
were camped, and where Col. Mitchell had his
headquarters. About III a. m. we were startled
by hearing few picket-shots and in less time
Than II takes TO tell 10 we saw two columns OF
Confederates advancing on little fort which
was being occupied by our boys as fast as they
could get there. by the time our boys all got
Ia the rebels had formed i'm three columns for
an assault They did not hesitate, but rode up
to the ditch, when the boys inside gave them a
destructive volley rs sent them back in disor-
ORDER. This was repeated twice with the same
result, and each time / saw many horses scam
per away without riders. i learned afterward
that Cos and Il, Sd Mo. CAV, lost 27 men in
that little irolic, aud as there were several COM
panies engaged the loss must have been pretty
heavy.
Becoming tired of this, the rebels drew off a
little and brought battery Of four guns into
position, two Of which were 2i-pounders, and
when these opened fire on the fort the boys had
TO surrender When the first shot was fired by
the artillery we turned our teams and headed
Tor our own camp, and the way the blackshake
was piled TO those mules can be realized only
by those who have seen frightened teamsters.
When we arrived at the camp we found the
usual excitement Oh such occasions, but Capt.
i. IL. Miller the commander, was equal 10 the
emergency, and with his usual promptneSs he
decided 10 move east and j0iu the troops at the
next camp. We were soon IN line aud going at
double-quick.
On reaching that camp we found, to our sur
prise, Col. q. Nj. Mitchell, who after starting
courier well mounted 10 Duyall's Biuh for re-
Inducements ordered our four companies TO
march on farther east TO the next camp. Here
/ want 10 say something in honor Of Henry
Dyer an enlisted cOlOred cook of Go. Il. lie
started at The same time the courier did for
Duyalis Bluff. He pressed a mule into his
service, but after riding a mile concluded he
had not time 10 ride farther, and leaving his
mule went on foot, beating the courier but as
headquarters. lie had walked or ran Ii miles,
and beaten a courier well mounted.
When we arrived at the next camp we had
Co.'S Il, /, ID, q, Il and III, and a squad of the
LIST Neb Cav, making about 800 men, as well as
can estimate. We had about 400 bales of hay,
which we quickly formed into breastworks
We had hardly arranged them when Gen. Joe
Shelby made has appearance with his 1000 bold
followers. This was about l:30 D. m. They
had learned a lesson in taking Co.'S A and X,
and thought 1t best to proceed cautiously lest
they STIR Us up; so they sent flag of truce
demanding a surrender, which was quickly
answered by +" Come aud take u.s." They sent
second demand, with threat that If they had
TO take US we would all be given up 10
slaughter. Finding that his threat awaited
nothing, he opened on us with his four pieces
of artillery and gave us ~ rounds-2sS shots
Many OF the shells burst inside our works and
set the loose hay on fire. We carried water in
our hats and what buckets we had from
little muddy pool, and tried 10 extingush
tho fire, but IL finally got away with us, and we
moved out on the east side along the railroad
aud formed in line of battle Then they
charged US IN front and rear aud on our left
flank. We pecked away at them Till they were
within 20 feet Of u.s. but being oVerpowered we
were compelled to surrender.
We were Immediately placed under guard
aud started OF IN northwest direction but
we had not gone more than so rods when we
noticed a cOmmOtion in our rear. Looking
back we saw line of well-mounted bluecoats
bearing down on our captors. We were for
hidden 10 look back on penalty of being shot.
Ever since that i have had a great deal Of
sympathy for Lots wife, Tor if ever / wanted
TO look back IL was then. did not know then
what command il was, but have learned since
that ~ was the 9th Iowa aud 9Th aud llth No,
numbering from 200 TO 400 But that moving
battle was the grandest sight 1 ever saw. Ii
was level prairie, aud the Johnnies fell back
as fast as they could and keep their prisoners
under cover.
shall not attempt TO tell our hardships but
say they stripped usof our clothing and shoes,
aud marched US 60 hours without a mouthfui
Of anything 10 eat, and then gave US only a
small portion OF green corn and fresh beef with
out salt. During IA days we had only two
pounds OF what the rebels called -four. The
boys said they thought il had been ground in a
sawmill. The cnd Of this time found us
at Pilot Knob, where Uncle Sans crib was
open 10 a few hungry souls.
have never learned the casualties in this
affair but think the Confederate less was not
less than 400, while they parolled only 375, in
Guiding 10 marines, which they had taken at
Clarendon two months before. w. BARRON,
Go. u, bath H., Howard, Kan.